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Steven J. Barker, MD, PhD, professor emeritus and former head of the University of Arizona Department of Anesthesiology, has been honored with lifetime achievement awards from two professional organizations.

The Society for Technology in Anesthesia (STA) honored Dr. Barker, professor emeritus of anesthesiology and aerospace and mechanical engineering and former head of the UA Department of Anesthesiology, with the J.S. Gravenstein Award for lifetime achievement in the area of technology in anesthesia. Founded in 1988, STA is an international organization of physicians, engineers, students and others with an interest in anesthesia-related technologies. Both academic medicine and industry are well represented in the society. During the upcoming STA annual meeting, to be held Jan.6–9, 2016, in Palm Beach, Fla., Dr. Barker will deliver a presentation and be presented with the award.

In addition to the prestigious Gravenstein Award, Dr. Barker was recognized with the 2015 Innovations and Applications of Monitoring Perfusion, Oxygenation and Ventilation (IAMPOV) Lifetime Achievement Award at a symposium in Japan, Oct 2-4. Dr. Barker is a member of the organization’s steering committee and was selected based on his lifelong work in the development of vitally important monitoring technologies and associated testing. The IAMPOV symposium brings together clinicians, device developers and researchers to promote the development of better health-care monitoring technologies and to improve their application in the areas of perfusion, oxygenation and ventilation.

Dr. Barker obtained his PhD in mechanical engineering from the California Institute of Technology in 1971, focusing on research in fluid mechanics. After a postdoctoral fellowship at Caltech, he joined the faculty of Mechanics and Structures at UCLA in 1974 where he achieved tenure in 1978. He obtained his MD from the University of Miami PhD-MD program in 1981. After an internship in general surgery, Dr. Barker served his residency in anesthesiology at the University of California, San Diego. In 1984, Dr. Barker joined the faculty of the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of California, Irvine, where he was promoted to associate professor in 1986 and professor in 1992. Dr. Barker served as chairman of anesthesiology at UC Irvine from 1990-1995. In September 1995, Dr. Barker joined the Department of Anesthesiology at the UA College of Medicine as professor and department head, with a joint appointment as professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering.

Dr. Barker has published more than 200 scholarly works, including 15 book chapters. His current research is in oxygen transport, medical simulation and the development of new patient monitors. Dr. Barker has served as president of the Association of Anesthesiology Program Directors and president of the UA Council of Clinical Chairs. He was the editor of Technology, Computing, and Simulation, a subsection within the journal Anesthesia and Analgesia. Dr. Barker remains very active in the education of physicians in new technology and also serves as chief science officer of Masimo Corporation.

About the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson

The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Tucson is advancing health and wellness through state-of-the-art medical education programs, groundbreaking research and advancements in patient care in Arizona and across the U.S. Founded in 1967, the College ranks among the top medical schools in the nation for research and primary care and is leading the way in academic medicine through a partnership with Banner – University Medicine, a new division of one of the largest nonprofit health care systems in the country. For more information, visit medicine.arizona.edu.

About the University of Arizona Health Sciences

The University of Arizona Health Sciences is the statewide leader in biomedical research and health professions training. The UA Health Sciences includes the UA Colleges of Medicine (Phoenix and Tucson), Nursing, Pharmacy, and the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health, with main campus locations in Tucson and the growing Phoenix Biomedical Campus in downtown Phoenix. From these vantage points, the UA Health Sciences reaches across the state of Arizona and the greater Southwest to provide cutting-edge health education, research, patient care and community outreach services. A major economic engine, the UA Health Sciences employs almost 5,000 people, has nearly 1,000 faculty members and garners more than $126 million in research grants and contracts annually. For more information, see: http://ahsc.arizona.edu